In the last few days, the mainstream media has responded to Julia Gillard's speech yesterday by saying that it was uncalled for, that it was untrue, that the people who agree with it are wrong.

What I haven't heard is anyone say that the Prime Minister's speech has resonated with the female population, who have said for years that they do not like how Tony Abbott and the Coalition have conducted themselves, that have said for years that they believe that some of the attacks made on Gillard to be based on gender, that they feel insulted and attacked by what is said both in politics and out of politics, but within our public spheres. What I have not heard from anyone in the mainstream media say is, "Perhaps we shouldn't be defining how women throughout Australia have experienced this, and how women have reacted to this speech? Perhaps we ought to stop telling women that their lived experience is wrong and listen to what they are saying to us? I mean, isn't that the whole point of equality?"

Maybe I'm wrong here.

Maybe I've missed a huge newsletter, one with the title IRONY ISN'T DEAD BUT MAYBE IT'S OUTSIDE SLEEPING IN THIS HOLE I DUG WITH MY SHOVEL.

Maybe.

But it seems to me that the response of the media, that the almost complete denial of the voices of women, their opinion, and their experience in this matter, is a form of sexism. Hell, I'll even call it sexism. Not a form, not maybe, not kinda, but is. I'll even say that that the entire response by Australia's mainstream media lays bare the crux of the problem, that for thousands and thousands of women--young and old--their experiences of sexism are marginalised, denied, and ignored, while they are told that nothing of importance happened here and they ought to be quiet.